Question:
Can anyone help with a little motivation, please???

I have been researching WLS for well over a year now. My insuror hung me up waiting 5 months for denial letter. In the meantime it seems all I do is eat and worry (obsess) about this surgery as I know it is what I need to do. I have lost weight numerous times before and I always feel better when I am excercising and eating sensibly. For the last several months I can't seem to get up any motivation whatsoever to excercise. I even bought a bowflex machine which is really impressive. The worst part of my day is in the morning and I have typically been a morning person. I absolutely hate getting dressed and almost always of late have to have some assistance from my spouse. I have difficulty breathing and sweat profusely during this morning ritual. Then, I sit in clothes that bind me all day and in chairs that are too tight. It hurts in my hips to walk across the floor. My feet hurt a lot too. Anything anyone can say to help with motivation/encouragement would be greatly appreciated and is much needed. Thanks in advance.    — [Anonymous] (posted on January 5, 2001)

January 4, 2001
I know how you feel. It is not uncommon to rethink your decision before taking such an important step. You keep thinking, I dieted before, and I exercised before, maybe I should try just one more time. For me, I just ran out of one more times. Each time I dieted, I was successful for about 3 months, then I gained all the weight back, and then some. I am not quite 3 months post op. I can tell you. Right now, if this had just been a diet, I would begin to watch the scales climb again. My eating habits would be slipping again. I would not be successful - again! With this surgery, there comes a confidence. This time, I WILL be successful. This time, I will keep the weight off and I can live happier and healthier. I used to do the sweating and the heavy breathing too. People used to say that I reminded them of the Star Wars character, Darth Vader, after walking only a short distance. Yesterday, someone said to me, Diane, I couldn't hear you breathing and you snuck up on me. I took that as a compliment. Surgery is not an easy choice to make. But for me, it was my only choice if I wanted any kind of a "real" life. I never tell people that they should have the surgery because that is a very personal decision. I just say, for me, It was the best thing I have done for myself in years. Good luck with your decision and if you need someone to talk to, feel free to email me anytime ! All the best, Diane
   — Diane C.

January 5, 2001
It's not unusual to feel this way -- years and years of dieting and failing and dieting and failing and dieting and failing have led us all to believe that "just one more time" will be the magic cure-all. Like Diane said, I just didn't have "just one more time" in me. I had gained and lost the same 150 pounds THREE TIMES in ten years. I don't care how healthy you are, human bodies aren't made to take that kind of abuse. My favourite "diets don't work" story came from my surgeon the very first time I met him, and I'll repeat it (again, but after all, it is my favourite) here: If you took 100 randomly-selected morbidly obese people and put them on a diet and exercise program, ALL OF THEM would lose the weight they need to lose. However -- and this is the mother of all howevers -- only THREE OF THEM would keep the weight off for more than one year. The moral of this story? Diet and exercise has a NINETY SEVEN PERCENT FAILURE RATE for the morbidly obese. Surgery is the best tool (that's TOOL, not CURE) for dealing with morbid obesity, bar none. I've lost 120 pounds since my open VBG on April 17/00, and no longer get winded tying my shoes, walking half a block, or doing up my bra. Hang in there, appeal, do what you need to do if you are convinced WLS is the answer for you. Warm supportive thoughts always,
   — Cheryl Denomy